Windies needed only 28.1 overs to blow England away and, having threatened the 419 they were set to win the fourth ODI, made light work of their meagre target on this occasion, with Gayle smashing an outrageous 77 from 27 balls.

That came after England's batsmen struggled to deal with the extra bounce on offer to the seamers. They were already in trouble at 111-5 before an incredible 21-ball spell that saw them lose their last five wickets for just two runs.

Gayle's blistering start rid them of any notion that they might be able to defend it and the Windies got home after just 12.1 overs to win by seven wickets and draw the five-match series, 2-2.

1:47

Chris Gayle smashed nine sixes on his way to 77 from 27 balls in the final ODI against England in St Lucia

After putting England in to bat, Windies struck early with Sheldon Cottrell (1-23) bowling Jonny Bairstow (11) and Joe Root (1) falling to Jason Holder in the next over.

Alex Hales and Eoin Morgan tried to rebuild and took the visitors' total to 57 before Hales (23) edged Carlos Brathwaite behind.

Morgan (18) went soon after, top-edging a Thomas bouncer to Cottrell in the deep and Ben Stokes (15) was also bounced out, gloving behind off Brathwaite (2-17).

Star of the fourth ODI, Jos Buttler, and Moeen Ali tried to pull things back for England but their partnership was just 23 when Ali (12) edged Thomas behind to trigger an almighty collapse.

Buttler (23) was one of two wickets to go down in Thomas' next over and Holder (2-28) removed Adil Rashid (0), Thomas wrapped up the innings by demolishing Tom Curran's (0) stumps.

What demons there might have been in the pitch for England failed to show themselves once Gayle came out to bat as he blasted two fours and a six from the first over.

5:06

Chris Gayle says his scintillating 77 from just 27 balls in the final ODI against England came with the 'wrong bat'!

He raced to 31 but England thought they had stopped him there as he picked out Rashid in the deep off Chris Woakes. Gayle stood his ground though and earned a reprieve as the third umpire controversially adjudged that the bouncer was too high and a no-ball was given.

Gayle launched the free hit into the stands and, after John Campbell (1) was cleaned up by Mark Wood, reached his fifty from just 19 balls, the quickest ever by a West Indian batsman in ODIs, before he eventually bowled by Wood (2-55) having hit nine sixes, taking his total in the series to a record-breaking 39 in just four innings.

Woakes (1-56) then bowled Shai Hope (13) with a slower ball but it only delayed the inevitable and Shimron Hetmyer hit the winning runs from the first ball of the 13th over to square the series.

Watch the first T20 international between Windies and England from 7.30pm, Tuesday on Sky Sports Cricket.